Footprint of Slave Route

You will be greeted at the airport by representatives of Landtours who will transfer you to your hotel. At your hotel, you will be served a chilled welcome drink as you are given a brief orientation.

After breakfast, depart Accra for a journey through Ghana’s middle belt. You will travel through Ghana’s main forest zone en-route to “Ejisu,” a town in the Ashanti Region. Upon arrival you will be taken to meet the village Chief – the person who holds the leadership position in the village (nothing major takes place in the village without the approval of the Chief).

The Chief will then “adopt” you into a village family, making the necessary introductions between you and your “Abusuapani” (family head). With your new family, you will be given a narration of your family history along with folk stories (“Anansesem”) so you can be better informed of your roots and cultural heritage.

Later, depart for a tour of the village, ending at the Paramount Chief’s Palace. There, you will be introduced as one of the village citizens. After a long and emotional day, return to your hotel.

After dinner participate in KASA (TALK TIME) - An opportunity to learn more about Ghanaian culture or simply talk to each other and share information about the experiences you are having on the tour. (This activity will be led by the tour guide).

This day will be spent in celebration by reclaiming your real and true African name. You will be led in a procession to the Paramount Chief’s Palace grounds where the whole village will have assembled. The Paramount Chief will perform the special naming ceremony after a round of hearty welcomes and speeches. No less than a few hundred locals will be present to participate.

The naming ceremony, a spiritual and memorable experience, begins with the drumming of the “frontomfrom” drums and dancing performed by local village dancers, who will also extend an invitation to the group to participate in the unique cultural dance. After the drumming and dancing, your family head and elders of your village will jointly select a name for you after a great personality in your family or community.

After breakfast, visit the Manhyia Palace Museum to get the sense of a day in the life of an Ashanti ruler (Asantehene).

At the museum, you will also obtain firsthand information on the legacies of the Ashanti kingdom, a regal history that dates back to 1700 and is told with relics and artifacts.

Enjoy a drive through the city of Kumasi to view monuments dedicated to the memory of the great Ashanti people. Your next stop will be the National Cultural Center, featuring the Prempeh II Jubilee Museum and the studios of various potters, brass and batik makers. After your tour, depart for a drive to Elmina City located in the Central Region. En-route, visit the craft villages of Ahwiaa (known for its woodcarving) and Bonwire (which specializes in “Kente” weaving). Unwind and relax after arrival in Elmina.

Today’s tour will highlight the infamous forts, castles and slave dungeons of Ghana. On this tour you will experience the physical history of the slave trade, the impact of which is still felt beyond the shores of Africa today. En-route, stop at Assin Manso. This was the final transit point for enslaved Africans before being shipped off to the new world. You will have the opportunity to visit the slave dungeons as well as the final resting place for two ancestors whose mortal remains were returned from the USA and Jamaica and re-interred in Ghana.

After lunch on your own, visit the Elmina Castle built by the Portuguese in 1482 and also known as St. George's Castle. This castle was the first European structure built in Sub – Saharan Africa. Spend a moment admiring the colorful harbor nestled just below Elmina Castle. Full of pirogues preparing to go to sea, this site offers one of West Africa’s greatest photo opportunities.

Upon return to your hotel, participate in “kasa” (talk time) which gives you the opportunity to share impressions of the tour as well as life experiences.

After hearty breakfast, depart to explore the historic Denkyira Kingdom, particularly Kakum National Park. Kakum is one of West Africa’s surviving tropical rain forests, spanning over 360sq km and filled with diverse and dense vegetation. A blend of true rainforest and semi deciduous forest, Kakum is the home to over 40 large mammals, 400 bird species and a breathtaking array of butterflies, flora and fauna.

The most popular attraction in the forest is the Canopy walkway which is made up of seven bridges extending 330m and hanging 40m above the forest floor. You will be given the choice to walk the canopy or enjoy a 2km nature walk through the forest to discover the wide variety of exotic floral species and the medicinal values they offer. After your day hike, stop at the Kakum Rainforest Café for lunch or a snack.

Visit the Cape Coast Castle, which was built by the Swedes in 1653 and later taken over by the British. The castle also houses the West African Historical Museum, established by the Smithsonian Institute in collaboration with the Ghanaian government in 1994. Overnight at your hotel.

After dinner participate in KASA (TALK TIME) - An opportunity to learn more about Ghanaian culture or simply talk to each other and share information about the experiences you are having on the tour. (This activity will be led by the tour guide).

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and depart for Accra. Upon arrival, have lunch and meet a representative of James Town Boutique. From the Fort to the prisons of James Town, you will encounter the Independence struggle of the first Black nation, Ghana. A visit to James Town Fort prison where the Big “6” of Gold Coast were prison. The legal luminaries of British Accra Lawyer will take you to the Harward Mills (Agbado). Afloso chambers, Dantu Chambers and meet with the Law Lumineers and have Politics on a roundtable at the James Town Boutique with veteran politician.

Later on, you will be visiting the traditional leader of Jamestown community and exchange greetings with a welcome traditional prayer.

After breakfast, depart your hotel and depart for a drive to Aburi Botanical Gardens. This eco-paradise was created in 1890 and is home to a variety of tropical and sub-tropical plants and trees. The oldest tree on the grounds is older than 155 years old, and has survived through the British Colonial Era. You can opt to have lunch on the grounds of the garden, which has served as a beautiful picnic location to many a tourist.

After a hearty breakfast, depart for a sightseeing tour of Accra. Your drive will take you through the administrative and economic districts of Ghana’s city capital. Over 100 years-old, Accra has a blend of colonial and contemporary architecture that symbolize the cultural mix of the city.

Visit the W. E. B. Dubois Center for Pan African Culture, where Dr. Dubois (an academic and civil rights champion) spent two years working on a Pan-African encyclopedia under the invitation Dr. Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana’s first President). Be treated to a guided tour through Dr. DuBois’ research library and make stops at Independence/Black Star Square and Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park. The square marks the point where three ex-military men tried to present grievances to the colonial governor and were shot during a peaceful demonstration. Nkrumah Memorial Park was created to commemorate Ghana's founding father. To the east of the square you will also get a view of Osu (formerly Christiansborg) Castle, the previous seat of the Ghanaian Presidency. For lunch on your own, you will be given the opportunity to sample some local Ghanaian cuisine at one of our famous “chop bar” restaurants. A favorite for most tourists is the “fufu and light soup,” a starchy meal with a dough-like consistency. After lunch, visit the Arts Centre – a large arts and crafts market where you can find handicrafts from all over Ghana and West Africa. Be prepared to use your bargaining skills as you browse the many artisan stalls.

The sightseeing tour will end with a visit to the Coffin Makers Shop at Teshie (a suburb of Accra). There you will see how wood coffins are carved by hand into exquisite designs, representative of the occupation, interest or hobby of the deceased.

Spend the day at leisure and last minute shopping. Check-out of your hotel and transfer to airport for check-in and departure.